It was a cloudy, September day at the Country Club of Miami in South Florida. Jake Goodstat, a high school sophomore and varsity golfer, approached the ninth green. He walked up to his ball with putter in hand, took a deep breath and gently tapped the ball to make the putt.

He says this was the hole where he cinched second place in the 2016 South Florida Junior Golf Tournament.

“It was the greatest feeling in the world to know that I placed,” recalls Jake, a Florida teen who underwent surgery two months prior to treat his Crohn’s disease. “Before my surgery, I would register for a tournament, end up in the emergency room and be admitted to the hospital.” …

Nikiay Kelly

Gastroenterology Scheduler, Care Team Member

I answer frequently-asked questions using the live Web-chat feature, and I answer questions and schedule appointments by phone. I enjoy helping patients, especially when I see the impact on patient care.

I recently received a call from a new patient who wanted to see a doctor immediately. He was experiencing some stomach upset and was questioning whether he had IBD (inflammatory bowel disease.)

I was able to contact a doctor and quickly coordinate a consultation for a time that worked best for the patient. I felt really good at the end of the call because I got him the appointment and the care he needed.

Caring for patients is a true team effort. Care Team highlights the dedication of the people throughout Boston Children’s who do their part to comfort and support patient families each and every day.

Bath time and bubbles, snuggling with Mom and playing hockey with his big brother are just a few of Kaleb’s favorite things.

But for the bright-eyed three-year-old from Massachusetts, things weren’t always so carefree.

Kaleb’s health changes: Battling ear infections and diarrhea

As an infant, Kaleb was a healthy baby boy. He was eating well and growing by leaps and bounds.

At six months, his health began to change. Multiple ear infections followed by numerous antibiotic treatments became a painful part of Kaleb’s young life.

As his first birthday approached, a second, unrelated condition emerged. Bouts of diarrhea were frequent. And as the days turned to weeks, the diarrhea intensified and his condition worsened.

“He wasn’t eating and was having up to 14 loose stools per day,” recalls Kaleb’s mother, Christine, a licensed practical nurse at an area medical center.

Stool cultures examined by Kaleb’s local pediatrician confirmed the toddler was battling more than ear infections. He was also battling Clostridium difficile, or C-diff, an infectious disease that causes debilitating diarrhea and is often prolonged with antibiotic use.

“As a nurse myself I was familiar with this infection. And though I was saddened by the news, I knew it was treatable,” Christine says.

With Mom and big brother in tow, the tiny toddler, boasting a pretty pink headband and nail polish to match, sat at a child-sized table, picked up crayons and started coloring. She was at ease, and her surroundings were familiar.

The condition, which affects infants and children under 5, causes severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea, and it slows growth. The cause(s) of VEO-IBD remain unknown but likely include a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

“Boston Children’s has been taking very good care of Gassen and us as well,” says Gassen’s mother Manal, with the assistance of an interpreter from the hospital’s Interpreter Services Department. “The way they have been dealing with her case has been excellent.”